Reflections on Disparity

Disparity.

I've been thinking about this word a lot lately. I promise I'll make this reasonably short.

This last month I was able to spend a week in Memphis with 140 college students from the college ministry of Denton Bible Church. It was a great time of service, learning, and reflection on the need for Christians to infiltrate culture and be a witness in all areas of life which include rich and poor, black and white, not allowing our cultural biases or inner prejudices keep us from engaging in cross cultural ministry here in our own country.

Sadly I only took 3 pictures. The one above is at the Civil Rights Museum that is built around the motel where Martin Luther King Jr was killed.

I also have been able to teach a lot this last month and I am continuing on with my Church History class on Monday nights for two more weeks. But on to the word at hand.

Disparity.
Martin Luther King rose up to fight, but not to kill. He rose up to challenge, but not injure. And they killed him. He recognized the disparity between white Americans and black Americans, all citizens of the same nation but one being treated as less than human.

Disparity.
Why does a group of men and women get to come to a church on a Monday night and learn about Church History, when some PASTORS elsewhere in the world have never even heard that Christ is returning...yet still have faith in Him and follow Him?

Disparity.
Why do some people live in incredible luxury and wastefulness, while others simply long for the basic needs of a human being? Water. Bread.

Disparity.
Why are we able to gather in some places with thousands of Christians while some entire nations do not have the same amount of believers as our typical SMALL GROUP?

Disparity.
Why do we have multiple choices of English translations when many people groups have no Scripture in their language to guide them to the truth of Christ?

Perhaps why is too philosophical, theological, impractical of a question? Maybe the question for all of these is WHAT can we do about this massive gulf of difference between our world...and the rest of the world.

Yes, Christians are missionaries and disciples of Christ wherever we are and there IS need everywhere. But what should be done about the disparity? This word just keeps staying in my head. Disparity.

I think the answer is found in the heart of God who crossed the ultimate gulf of difference, the ultimate disparity and came to redeem the world in Jesus the Christ.

Pray with me for more laborers for the harvest, 'for the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few' (Mt 9:35-38).